Page 56 of Ruling in Flames (Reborn 5)
My dragon braced us defensively, ready for a battle. I almost felt bad for my animal side, not wanting to disappoint the bastard…but this would hardly be a fucking battle. In fact, I could kill this motherfucker with a swipe of my claw. I could scent the sickness and weakness that surrounded him like a toxic cloud.
Honestly, the man looked like shit. His skin was a pale, chalky color, and his magic was jumping over his skin in uncontrollable electrical currents that seemed to cause him pain. He was a perfect fucking example of someone who had too much magic for their own damn good.
Suddenly, Maya was standing next to me looking furious, not a single ounce of fear showing on her face. She didn’t even offer him a response, instead matching his question with her own. “What did you do to them? They won’t wake up.”
Motherfucker. I nearly turned around, but I could hear the other men trying to wake the boys, and I didn’t want to turn my back to him. I couldn’t kill this bastard yet—not until he told us how to fix this. I wouldn’t let the guilt of these boys being hurt fall on my mate, and I knew she would blame herself. I fucking knew it.
Malcolm offered her a sadistic smile. “I knew you were coming, so I poisoned them.”
Maya went stock still as a furious noise came from her throat, a tremble of rage shaking her body. Before she could say anything, Az appeared out of thin air behind him and gripped his neck, silver energy wrapping around him as Malcolm wheezed in surprise.
“Tell her how to fix it.” His voice was completely empty, and I was glad he was doing this because I wanted the kids to live, and the minute I had a clear shot I was incinerating this piece of shit. Maya had been given a massive responsibility in having to kill Ry, and now I planned on handling this for her. I wanted her to go to bed with the knowledge that she never had to look over her shoulder in concern, never again worry about him showing up and trying to take her.
“You can’t—” Malcolm screamed as Az twisted his shoulder back, a loud pop resounding off the cave walls.
“Now,” he growled, looking momentarily in pain as the electric currents seemed to singe his feathers—fuck, that had to hurt. “Or I’ll peel your skin inch by inch from your body until I extract every bit of information from you.”
I wouldn’t lie, I was starting to like Az.
Maya muttered under her breath in surprise, but she didn’t seem upset—sort of the opposite, actually. Malcolm shook and nearly went limp, his body wrecked with tremors from the overload of magic paired with how Az was containing him with his own magic. He was going to fucking overdose on power; I could see it happening right in front of us.
I let out a dangerous warning roar as he jolted, any bravado fading as he began stumbling over his words, spitting them out furiously. “Your blood. Use your fucking blood, you dumb—”
Az popped out of existence, disappearing from his side, and I immediately let out a stream of black fire that engulfed Malcolm. A blood-curdling scream filled the air, followed by a gurgle as I surged forward, using my talon to slice his head off in one sweep. Relief filled me as a victorious sound left my dragon.
Malcolm was finally fucking dead.
The power that had been within him sizzled out, and the cave around us shook as the magic sank into the rock, not attempting to find a home in any of us—a surefire sign that Malcolm had found a way to forcibly take it instead of it being transferred to him naturally. I would question how, but I didn’t particularly care at the moment. I was more worried about my flight and my mate—my family.
I joined Maya in kneeling by the young boys, her open palm dripping blood onto their open wounds, the liquid instantly turning gold on their skin. I hated that she had to bleed for this, but she didn’t even seem fazed. I watched in near disbelief as the boys’ injuries began to seal up, their breathing relaxing. After another minute or so of careful attention, Maya sagged against me, offering me a look that was filled with relieved tears.
“We need to get them back,” Maya whispered, not realizing that most of us were staring at her in awe. “The poison is gone, I can tell—but they’re in bad shape.”
Of course, she was absolutely right.
Immediately I was issuing orders on how to get them back, Maya fussing over the two boys as we stood and made our way to the entrance of the cave. The one Az was holding couldn’t be more than five.Fuckthat was so screwed up.
“They will live,” Az assured her, and I nodded in agreement. “They will be okay.”
My gaze moved to his seared wings, my jaw clenching in concern.
I had no doubt they would be okay…but would he?
